Applicator for ultrasonic transducer



ff, a2 0 3 IZB-ZHA EXA-WNH Jan. 12, 1960 J. L. BOIARSKY 2,920,617

APPLICATOR FOR ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER Filed July 2, 1956 Julius L. Boiars/ry INVENTOR.

United States Patent APPLICATOR FOR ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER Julius L. Boiarsky, Charleston, W. Va.; Hortense Marguerite Boiarsky, executrix of the will of Julius L. Boiarsky, deceased, assignor to herself individual Application July 2, 1956, Serial No. 595,203

1 Claim. (Cl.'12824) This invention relates to an applicator for an ultrasonic energy transducer and more particularly to an arrangement of parts for use in conjunction with an ultrasonic treatment head for applying ultrasonic vibrations onto a body of a patient to be treated.

The primary object of the present invention resides in the provision of an ultrasonic energy applicator for enabling ultrasonic vibrations to be applied on the body of a patient in a convenient manner and which ultrasonic energy applicator is adapted to accommodate itself to any body contourespieciallygo, joints, prominences, and wrinkled skin surfaces.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of an ultrasonic energy applicator for avoiding painful contact of an ultrasonic treatment head with the 1 skin or inflammatory areas.

Since exact dosage of ultrasonic energy is virtually impossible with a moving treatment head, this invention provides means for enabling the treatment head to be held at a calculated distance from the surface of the patients body to be treated while the patients body is suitably cushioned.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of an ultrasonic treatment head in which water, heavy mineral oil, or other liquid capable of transmitting ultrasonic energy can be readily deposited which liquid Zenables the applicator to conformto 'th'evarious body contours of the patient being treated.

Still further objects and features of this invention reside in the provision of an ultrasonic energy applicator which is simple in construction, eflicient in operation, and relatively inexpensive to construct thereby permitting wide use and distribution.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this ultrasonic energy applicator, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the ultrasonic energy applicator comprising the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the ultrasonic energy applicator with a portion of the handle thereof being broken away to show the construction of the closure means for the inlet opening of the mattress;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional detail view as taken along the plane of line 3-3 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view as taken along the plane of line 4-4 of Figure 1 and being shown in an enlarged scale for clarity.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, reference numeral 10 generally designates the ultrasonic energy applicator comprising the present invention. The ultrasonic energy applicator 10 includes a central compartment formed of any suitable non-elastic material such as nylon, Orlon, or polyethylene, or the like, which is provided with a series of communicating holes 14 therethrough forming a honey-comb. The central compartment 12 may be divided into communicating cells by strips as at 16 and may be bound by an outer casing 18 if desired. Bonded to the central compartment 12 are upper and lower sheaths 20 and 22 of a suitable elastic and expandable material forming compartments 24 and 26 for the ultrasonic energy applicator 10. It is noted that the strips 16 may serve as baflles and may be formed of other material such as reinforced rubber. Further, the casing may be made of reinforced rubber and the holes 14 form cavities for reception of an energy transmitting liquid. The central compartment 12 is provided with an inlet opening in the form of a neck or conduit 28 through which fluid such as water, mineral oil, or the like may be introduced. A threaded metal cap 30 is provided for sealing the inlet opening 28. Fluid deposited in the opening 28 will fill the various cavities 14 which communicate with each other.

A pair of conduits 32 and 34 are provided for the compartments 24 and 26 and threaded caps 36 and 38 which may be formed of metal or any other suitable material are provided for closing the conduits 32 and 34. As may be desired, fluid may be introduced into the compartments 24 and 26 If for example, it is desired to provide The ultrasonic treatment head with a transducer having a fla-t undersurface for hearing against a flat portion of the body of a patient and a convex upper surface, only the compartment 24 need be filled with the compartment 26 being allowed to remain empty. This will provide the desired shape transducer.

A pair of sheaths preferably formed of rubber reinforced material such as the material of which the casing 18 is constructed are provided and indicated at 42 and 44. These sheaths form means for receiving the ends of a suitable handle 48, the ends being indicated at 50 and 52. Hence, the strap handle 48 may be readily removed and replaced so as to be easily aifixed or removed from two or one ultrasonic energy transducers. This strap handle 48 has the advantages of firmness of grasp and ease of manipulation.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

An applicator for an ultrasonic transducer comprisinga central compartment of substantially non-elastic substance, upper and lower elastic sheaths secured to and overlying the upper and lower surfaces of said central compartment along the perimeter thereof forming upper and lower compartments between said sheaths and said central compartment, said central compartment having a plurality of holes therein communicating with each other, an inlet opening for said central compartment for filling said holes in said central compartment with ultrasonic energy transmitting fluid, a conduit communicating with each of said upper and lower compartments, and closures for sealing said inlet opening and said conduits, said central compartment having an elliptical cross-section defining a transverse axis, pockets extending parallel to said transverse axis formed on the external perimeter of said central compartment, a U-shaped handle including a pair of legs, said legs received in said pockets.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,371,919 Mahony Mar. 15, 1921 2,542,781 Sawyer Feb. 20, 1951 2,604,641 Reed July 29, 1952 2,789,557 Apr. 23, 1957 Patented Jan. 12, 1960' 

